


A Ladybug's Duty

by Snugglebuttkitten



Series: Kitty's Requests [3]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrien Redemption, F/M, I Hate The Class in Chameleon, Identity Reveal, Me Being Triggered AF, Post-Episode: s03 Caméléon | Chameleon, Saltinette, They Needed to Pay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-02-17
Packaged: 2019-10-30 06:35:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17823716
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snugglebuttkitten/pseuds/Snugglebuttkitten
Summary: When Lila's lies help cause the akumatization of Lily Petrova, Marinette and Adrien find themselves trapped in a classroom with no way to escape. Marinette is still mad at Lila and her Classmates, but when the Akuma quite literally threatens to *break* Lila's heart, she knows she has a decision to make: stay mad and ignore the destruction of her newest bully... or accept her duty as Ladybug to put aside her grievances and save a Civilian's life.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Speckledfox](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Speckledfox/gifts).



> Decided to make this into a two-part story, so here is part one. Part two will be out sometime this week, likely tomorrow or Wednesday, as those are the days that I will be off ;)
> 
> The purse Lily has is actually a real purse that actually is retailed at 3.8 million. Look it up. It is GORGEOUS

_ Today’s the day! _ Lily Petrova thought to herself as she got ready that morning. The platinum blonde-haired girl was wearing a cable knit pink cardigan sweater and white scarf combo over black leggings and calf-high genuine leather boots. Her long, straight blonde hair was pushed back with a black headband sporting white and pink polka dots, and the whole ensemble was completed with her Mouawad 1001 Nights Diamond Purse. The diamond encrusted, heart-shaped handbag, retailed at 3.8 million, was a birthday present from her Daddy and her most prized possession, along with the black and gold accented Cartier Panthere sunglasses that sat in her handbag, waiting to be worn and showcased. Studying herself in the full-length mirror that stood in the corner of her bedroom, she stretches her pink glossed lips wide to show off perfectly straight, perfectly white teeth that five years of braces had afforded her. She looks good, and she knows it. With her fair, near flawless complexion, Lily needs only the barest hint of makeup to enhance her features.

A bit of concealer to hide the horrendous freckles adorning her cheeks and button nose, pink gloss to draw attention to her full lips, a bit of blush brushed across her cheekbones giving her a look of demure innocence, and mascara to make her bright blue eyes pop. Yes, today was certainly the day. Adrien Agreste wouldn’t know what hit him when she confessed today at school. He was the only high caliber boy at that horrid public school, the only boy in Paris  _ worthy _ of the great Lillian Anamaria Petrova III, and the only reason she attended  _ College Francoise Dupont _ instead of going to St. Claire’s, the all girl’s private school her Daddy wished to send her to. If getting Adrien meant having a poor man’s education, she would make that sacrifice happily. A few years down the line when they were married and he had taken over his father’s company, she wouldn’t need a proper education anyway. Not when she would be home taking care of their only child, a handsome young boy, a proper heir to the Agreste company (of course) and spending their loads and loads of money on whatever her frivolous heart so desired.

“Lily, time to go. You’ll be late for school!” Her stepmother called from somewhere on the main floor. Grimacing, Lily rolled her eyes and collected her handbag and laptop case, before finally leaving the room and heading downstairs. Her stepmother had disappeared but it’s just as well. Lily has no desire to see the twenty-something-year-old bimbo who so recently married her father. The gold digging bitch wasn’t even twenty years Lily’s senior. It was disgusting. But she wouldn’t let that get her down. She had a boy to confess to today, and with her confession, she would undoubtedly secure her spot at the next Madame Agreste. Flouncing out the door, expensive handbag attached to her wrist by its glittering gold chain, Lily slid into the Limo waiting in the circular drive outside the massive, four-story mansion she called home. The car pulled through the wrought iron gates moments later, and some thirty or so minutes later, they were pulling up to the front of  _ College Francoise Dupont _ .

Sliding from the vehicle, Lily glanced around before heading into the school with a sense of purpose. She had about fifteen minutes before class started, and she intended to use them. Eyes raking over the students gathered in small groups throughout the first floor of the school, she finally spotted the familiar head of honey-blonde hair that she was looking for. He was standing with his best friend, the weird scrawny boy with the ratty ball cap and the atrocious, blocky orange headphones he never seemed to go anywhere without. Nino, that was his name. She would have to play nice with him for a while until she could convince Adrien to drop the deadweight. Hopefully, he turned out to be worth it. There were a few other students from his class with them, including the semi-famous Ladyblogger, Alya Cesaire. The small girl with the dark pigtail was thankfully nowhere to be found. When first joining the school, Lily had been mildly concerned about the presence of the blue-eyed girl of some kind of Asian descent in Adrien’s life. Marinette Dupain-Cheng didn’t look like much, but she was popular and talented. Being adored by Jagged Stone and Clara Nightingale, and even gaining favor with Gabriel Agreste and Audrey Bourgeois, two nearly impossible-to-please figures in the world of fashion, made her stiff competition even for a girl like Lily.

She had been watching the pair for around a year now and it didn’t escape her notice that despite claiming Marinette was ‘just a friend’, Adrien afforded her far more special attention than anyone else in their class. Especially any of the other girls in their class. It was also no secret that Marinette was crazy about the boy. Lately, however, Marinette had been avoiding her classmates like the plague,  _ including _ Adrien. Lily had heard rumors, but they tended to vary too much for her to put any real stock into what had happened. The gist of it was, however, that she was completely against this new girl in their class and her friends had turned on her because of it. Lily might not know Marinette personally, but even she knew enough to know she wasn’t one to allow petty jealousy get in the way of her friendships and even though Marinette was her rival, she had to feel a little bad for the isolated girl. Not bad enough to postpone or give up on her confession, of course, but still.

Taking a deep breath, Lily smiled widely and approached the close-knit group of friends who, by the sounds of it, were talking about the latest Jagged Stone concert. That was another thing she’d have to work on with Adrien.  Rock music was so loud and unappealing. She would just have to teach him all about the finer things in life. Like classical music. It was so much better than rock and Adrien  _ did _ play the piano, an instrument Lily decided was quite acceptable and befitting her future husband. It would be annoying if she had to make him learn a different instrument if he had played the guitar or drums! 

“Hi, Adrien,” she greeted as she came to a halt beside the group. Immediately, all eyes shifted towards her, but she held her ground. She might be the outsider here but she wouldn’t be scared off by such inconsequential people. She was an heiress far above their station, after all, and one day they would all realize that. Adrien looked up and his soft smile sent a flutter through her stomach. Gods, but he was beautiful. That perfectly styled, honey-gold hair. Those sparkling green eyes. That wide, perfect smile. He was everything she wanted in a life partner and more.

“Hey, Lily,” he greeted warmly, recognizing her instantly. Like Chloe Bourgeois, Lily had known Adrien since childhood. Unlike Chloe, she didn’t get to hang out with him much. Her father traveled a lot and had her in boarding school for most of her young life. Ironically, it was only thanks to his marriage to the step-bimbo that she was able to settle down in France and attend this school to enact her plan in the first place. “What’s up?”

“I was hoping I could speak to you privately? It’s kinda important,” she explained confidently, ignoring the others who were regarding her suspiciously (mostly Alya).

“Yeah, of course! I’ll see you guys in class,” Adrien said, fist bumping his friend before joining her. Lily smiled demurely and led the blonde up the stairs and towards the library, where hopefully they wouldn’t get interrupted. She was unaware of the pair of olive green eyes watching their progress up the stairs, and missed the brunette shrugging off the wall to follow them at a discreet distance. Eventually, they found a corner near the Russian Literature section where they wouldn’t be interrupted. Adrien still had that guileless look on his face as he turned towards her, thumbs hooked into form-fitting jeans that looked like they had been sewn directly onto him, they fit so well.

“What did you wanna talk about, Lily?” Adrien prompted, and the blonde girl had to mentally shake herself and focus on the present and the task at hand.

“Actually, Adrien, I wanted to tell you that I like you. I really, really like you and I wanted to see if you were free this weekend to go out sometime?” She asked with a sweet smile. Confidence was key. That was what her father had always taught her. Being scared or nervous of failure or rejection was just a form of weakness and it had no place in Lily Petrova’s heart. So, being as confident as she was, she  _ expected _ Adrien to fall all over himself and confess his undying love to her. That… is not what happened. Instead, the boy blinked in surprise and then rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably.

“Oh, um… I’m really flattered and all, Lily, but I like someone else,” he explained. He kept going, but Lily could barely hear him now over the dull ringing in her ears. Rejected? After all, she had done, all she had sacrificed, Adrien Agreste was rejecting  _ her _ !? It was unfathomable. Lily Petrova didn’t  _ do _ rejection and as the boy launched into the cheesy and way overdone ‘it’s not you, it’s me’ speech, Lily felt her anger reach a boiling point.

“It’s that Dupain-Cheng girl, isn’t it?” She snapped. They were alone and she didn’t quite care right now if Adrien saw her lose her temper.

“Wh-what?” Adrien asked in surprise.

“That lowly baker’s girl who's always hanging around you. The Asian one.  _ She’s _ the girl you like, isn’t she?” The blonde girl sneered. Adrien blinked blankly so she continued savagely, voice rising with each passing second. “She isn’t good enough for you! She could never make you happy the way  _ I _ could. She doesn’t understand  _ our  _ world, Adrien. Even if Madame Bourgeois and your father happen to like her, she will never fit into your life. Not really,” she scoffed, unaware of the darkness beginning to reflect in the boy’s suddenly stormy green gaze. “Besides, her crush on you is totally stalker-worthy. Do you really want to risk a relationship with someone who follows you around like a lost puppy and can’t even string a complete sen-”

“That’s enough, Lily,” Adrien said. His voice never raised, but the tone was sharp and effective. Lily immediately shut up. Adrien was frowning at her. “I’m sorry that you’re hurt, but I don’t return your feelings and I never will. I am in love with someone else. Whether or not that girl is Marinette isn’t any business of yours, but regardless, Marinette is my  _ friend _ and I won’t have you speaking badly of her,” he said firmly.

“B-but… she’s crazy, Adrien! She’s been stalking you for over a year now. It’s creepy and-” the look the boy sent her was chilling and Lily froze under its intensity.

“Goodbye, Lily,” he said firmly, spinning on his heel and leaving the library. Lily stared after him, dumbfounded, but she didn’t remain alone for long. Before she could fully compose herself, someone else stepped into the Russian Literature section. Lily recognized her immediately. Lila Rossi, the new girl in school and the supposed usurper of Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Supposedly the reason she was now avoiding Adrien and her friends.

“That was pathetic,” Lila tsked, strolling closer with a smirk on her lips. Her olive green eyes swept over Lily from head to toe and she did not look very impressed by what she was seeing. “You didn’t honestly think you had a chance with Adrien, did you? Oh, you did? That’s a shame. Anyone who’s anyone knows that I have that boy wrapped around my finger.”

“Y-you? You’re the one he likes?” Lily asked dejectedly. She wanted to reject the notion but if the rumors were true, Lila had the money and the connections to make a good match for Adrien. Plus, it seemed like she was planning on a career in acting, just like Adrien’s mother. As much as Lily was loathe to admit it, they would make a good match. So where did that leave her?

“Of course! Adrien and I are  _ so _ perfect together and no one is going to come between us.  _ Especially _ you,” Lila said, eyes sparking dangerously. Lily held her hands up in a placating gesture and stepped back.

“I didn’t know, sorry,” she gritted out, looking away. Lila looked her over and the barely concealed anger vanished into a saccharine smile.

“That’s okay, I totally understand! Adrien is so hot, it's understandable he’d have girls falling all over him,” she giggled. “Anyway, I should go catch up with him. I’ll see you later, Lily!” With that, the brunette flounced off, leaving Lily to seeth in her anger. The anger of rejection, and the anger of having Adrien’s real girlfriend confront her like that. Lily did not like being disrespected that way, and as her ire continued to rise, her fingers continued to tighten around the gold chain of her expensive purse. She didn’t even notice the fluttering of the wings as the Akuma phased through one of the windows that sat high up near the library’s ceiling and landed on her purse. The second the Akuma melded with the diamond-encrusted handbag, a feeling of calm stole over the young woman and everything else ceased to exist. A glowing purple butterfly mask appeared before her eyes, and a smooth, deep male voice seemed to fill her head.

“Heartbreaker. I can give you the power to exact revenge on those who have wronged you. All I require in return are Ladybug and Chat Noir’s Miraculouses. What do you say?” Hawkmoth purred softly. Heartbreaker smirked as thick, bubbling black and purple magic began to steal over her human form.

“It would be my pleasure, Hawkmoth.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Enter Marinette... and Heartbreaker ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For this to make complete sense, Chameleon did happen, but we're gonna say the ending of the episode never did. Lila is still up front with Adrien and Marinette is still isolated in the back. Also, this is a few weeks after Lila begins to enact her revenge on Marinette, so you will notice some hostility between the other students and her. (read: a LOT of hostility)

Marinette Dupain-Cheng sighed when the bell rang, just as she hit the first step leading up to College Francoise Dupont Middle School. She stumbled, thankfully managing to regain her balance before she ate cement, and quickly scrambled into the building. Technically, the pigtailed girl has been up for hours and realistically should not be running late to school. Unfortunately, with the way things currently were, she hadn’t exactly  _ wanted _ to come to school at all and had dragged her feet until the last possible second. Taking the stairs to the second floor two at a time, she hurried down the hall and stopped just before she opened Madame Bustier’s door. For a moment, she was frozen. Her heart rate spiked, sweat beaded at the nape of her neck. She knew what to expect after weeks of dealing with Lila’s lies, but it still made her sick to her stomach, knowing what waited for her beyond this door. 

“It’s going to be okay, Marinette. I believe in you,” Tikki whispered, popping up out of her ever-present handbag to smile at her holder. Marinette couldn’t even muster up a smile of reassurance, but she nodded and lifted her chin, allowing her Ladybug calm to steal over her. She was a superhero. She wouldn’t allow Lila or her former friends get her down. Here, she would be cold and unflappable. She could cry and mourn her failed friendships in the sanctity of her bedroom when she got home. She wouldn’t allow anyone here to see the effect their betrayal had on her. Squaring her shoulders, she grasped the door handle tight enough to whiten her knuckles and pulled the door open, stepping into the room. Immediately, all eyes turned towards hers and it took every ounce of Ladybug willpower she possessed not to wilt under the glares of her former friends.

Lila had told the truth about one thing; she really had turned all of her friends against her. It was shocking how easy it had been, too. Most of these students had known Marinette since preschool, and yet the moment Lila started claiming that  _ she _ was the one being bullied, they had turned on her like a pack of dogs on a juicy bone. Even Alya, sitting in her new spot behind Adrien, turned to glare coldly at Marinette as the whispers started up.  _ Strong _ . She had to stay strong. Don’t let them see you cry. Don’t let them see you break. Pressing her lips into a thin line, Marinette stared blankly ahead as she entered the room and headed for the stairs leading up to her seat. The one friendly face in the room (aside from Madame Bustier who was more focused on the board), was Adrien. Sitting beside Lila, he gave her a small smile and lifted a hand in a sort of half wave, but she ignored him. Adrien might not be one of her bullies, but he was as bad as the rest of them. He  _ knew _ and chose not to say anything, even as Lila continued to isolate her and turn everyone she knew against her.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Adrien’s face fall at her silent rejection, and her traitorous heart throbbed painfully with the need to apologize and reassure him that she still cared. So focused was she on Adrien, she didn’t notice Alya’s foot sticking out in the aisle until her own foot snagged on it and she went down hard, hitting her chin on one of the upper steps. The class burst out laughing and jeering at her plight and angry tears pricked at her eyes, but Marinette bit them back and pushed up onto her hands and knees. Her pals stung where she had scraped them on one of the steps and her knees and chin ached, but she refused to give them the satisfaction of seeing her cry.

“Geez, Marinette. I never noticed how  _ clumsy _ you are,” Alya sneered, propping her head up on one hand as she peered over the desk’s edge with a smirk curling her lips. Marinette grit her teeth and ignored her as more jeers and sarcastic, biting remarks filled the air, pushing herself up despite the pain in her hands. Suddenly, a hand appeared before her and she blinked in surprise, looking up to find Adrien blinking down at her in concern.

“Are you okay, Marinette?” He asked gently. Against her better judgment, she slid her hand into his and allowed him to lift her to her feet before immediately separating herself from him. As much as her heart jumped and sang out for the blond-haired Adonis who was currently looking at her with soft, worried green eyes, he was one of the enemies, now. She couldn’t trust him, or any of her classmates, ever again. It was why she was planning on leaving the school in two weeks when the semester ended. She would go to a different school; one where she could learn to trust people again, away from her class of bullies.

“Peachy,” she mumbled, forcing her eyes away from his and spinning on her heel. She could feel Tikki pressing hard against her leg through the purse, trying to offer support in the only way she could at the moment. She knew that Tikki was petrified of her being Akumatized, but Marinette wasn’t worried. After that first day, she had learned to keep her emotions under better control and there hadn’t been anymore near-misses with Akumas. Climbing the stairs, she was much more mindful of her feet and managed to make it to her table without further incident. She slid into her seat as Madame Bustier called the class to order, forcing the other students to turn forward and stop glaring daggers at her. As soon as the coast was clear, Tikki poked her head out of the small handbag.

“You’re doing really well, Marinette,” she said softly, blue eyes wide and affectionate. 

“Thanks, Tikki,” the girl mumbled.

“I know it’s hard, but you have to look on the bright side, Marinette. You’re going to a school focused on Art. Only the most talented kids get in. This could be a great way to further your career in design,” the red and black Kwami added hopefully. Marinette smiled faintly, appreciating her Kwami for always trying to see the silver lining, even if the thought of leaving her school was disheartening. It felt an awful lot like running away.

“Yeah… you’re right, Tikki. Thanks,” she said, forcing her smile to widen. The Kwami seemed reassured and disappeared a moment later into the depths of her bag, while Marinette turned towards the front and tried to focus on the lesson. For a few moments, everything was peaceful and Marinette managed to take a few notes. But then the peace was shattered as the door slammed open, eliciting shocked gasps from the students, and an Akuma stepped inside. That she was an Akuma was undeniable. The girl who stepped into the room had blonde hair streaked in red, tied into a tight bun atop her head. She wore a red leotard with a large heart on her chest, a clear crack down the middle. Half of the heart was black, the other was white. A thick black ribbon was tied around her waist, a bow peeking out from behind her back. Black ruffled stocking covered her legs, ending with only a thin strip of skin visible between the stockings and the leotard. A dark red ribbon circled the stockings at the top of her thighs and her ankles and matching red hearts adorned her knees. White flats adorned her feet, bright red hearts above the toes, and her arms were covered in ruffled white gloves with crisscrossing dark red ribbons. 

Again, the gloves ended with a thin line of skin visible between the gloves and the thin straps of her leotard. Her shoulders and collarbone were otherwise bare, save for a thin red halter around the neck and a matching red choker, a black heart charm nestled in the hollow of her throat. The look was completed with a heart-shaped mask over her eyes, half black and half white, and a black diamond-studded heart-shaped handbag attached to her wrist with a silver chain. The Akuma looked around with cold gray eyes, deep red lips stretching into a demented grin as her gaze lit upon Lila in her front row seat. Stepping forward as the other students sat and watched, frozen in fear, the Akuma halted at the desk and looked the girl over. When she spoke, it sounded like a dozen people were speaking at the same time. Her voice was deep and thunderous, echoing through the room like a clap of thunder.

“Lila Rossi, I am Heartbreaker. You have stolen Adrien Agreste away from me and for that, you will pay the ultimate price,” she snarled, lifting the wrist that was currently adorned by the silver chain holding her bag. The black heart twisted back and forth on the chain, and as the students watched on in horror, it began to pulse. In her seat, Lila suddenly clutched her chest with a ragged gasp. “You and Adrien broke my heart. Now, I will destroy yours. Permanently,” the Akuma hissed. Lila was practically clawing at her chest now, breathing uneven as she slithered from her chair and fell to the floor, twitching. It was Alya who spoke up, hazel eyes widening in horror.

“She’s having a heart attack... Hey! Stop, you’re killing her,” she cried, leaping up and rushing to her  _ new _ best friend’s defense. The Akuma barely glanced away from her target as she callously backhanded the other girl away from her. Lila continued twitching on the floor, her glazed eyes never straying from the pulsing purse. In the back, Marinette sat in frozen horror. She didn’t like Lila, but watching her die wasn’t something she exactly wanted to see either. But what could she do? She was stuck here, trapped with the rest of the students and unable to transform. And even if she did want to transform, did she really  _ want _ to help Lila? The world would be a better place without Lila in it. She was cruel, manipulative, and a compulsive liar. She had turned all of Marinette’s friends against her, had made them bully her and tease her the way Lila claimed that Marinette was doing to  _ her _ . And yet… wasn’t it her duty as Ladybug to help people, even if she didn’t like them? She had saved Chloe a dozen times, so shouldn’t she save Lila, too? Torn, she discreetly unclasped her purse and met Tikki’s wide blue eyes.

“Tikki, what do I do?” She hissed.

“You have to find a way out of here and transform, Marinette,” Tikki said firmly. 

“She’s blocking the door, Tikki. There is no way out,” Marinette responded, glancing up. Lila was still on the floor, full on seizing now as the Akuma continued to use her power, froth beginning to pool at the corners of her lips.

“You can’t transform here, Marinette. Your identity must remain a secret,” Tikki said softly. Marinette knew she was right and yet… Lila had minutes at best. Seconds at worst. She didn’t like Lila, but could she call herself a hero if she stood by and watched her die? And what of their other classmates? What of Adrien? Who was to say Heartbreaker would stop at Lila.

“The Miracle Cure. Does it bring people back from the dead?” She asked, returning her gaze to the Kwami’s. Tikki hesitated, but that was enough of an answer for Marinette. “I can’t stand by and let someone die, just to protect my identity. I might not like Lila, but she’s a civilian and isn’t it my duty as ladybug to help those in need?” She hissed softly. Tikki closed her eyes in resignation but nodded.

“I understand, Marinette. And I support your decision. This is why you’re one of my best Ladybugs yet. You’re so good, so dedicated. We’ll deal with the fallout when it comes. Do it now,” Tikki said, zipping up out of the purse. There was no point in staying hidden now. Scrambling up on her table, Marinette took a deep breath.

“Hey, Heartbreaker! Don’t you know that Adrien doesn’t go for evil witches like you?” She shouted. All eyes shifted towards hers, making Marinette want to shrink beneath their weight, but it had the desired effect. When Heartbreaker turned away, the connection between her and Lila broke and the student drew in a deep, ragged breath before collapsing on the floor with a whimper of relief. Heartbreaker’s red eyes narrowed savagely.

“ _ You _ . My other nemesis. Adrien might deny it, but I know he has feelings for you too, Dupain-Cheng. You don’t deserve him. Come here, so I can crush you like the insignificant bug that you are,” she snarled. Marinette smirked and shrugged, pushing away her Marinette shyness and allowing her Ladybug confidence to take over.

“As you wish,” she said, “but it’s your funeral. Tikki, Spots on!”

Tikki shot into her earrings as the others sat in stunned silence, watching the transformation wash over their classmate. Even the Akuma seemed caught off guard, and Ladybug used that to her advantage. Ignoring the gazes of her classmates, she grabbed her yoyo and flung it at the Akuma. Heartbreaker had quick reflexes, Ladybug would give her that. At the last second, she managed to twist away so that the yoyo sailed harmlessly past her, as opposed to slamming into and breaking the infected purse. But what had previously been her domain would no be her prison. The Akuma was as trapped as Ladybug had been as a Civilian, and unlike her, Ladybug had practice fighting in close quarters. Bouncing lightly from table to table, she continued a relentless assault against the Akuma with her yoyo, forcing Heartbreaker to go on the defensive. The Akuma dodged what she could and deflected attacks where she could with her various body parts, but it was clear that she wasn’t built to fight. She was a ranged attacker, using her purse to incapacitate her enemies before they could get to her. Unfortunately for her, lifting the purse enough to use it would risk allowing Ladybug’s Yoyo to break it and she wasn’t willing to take that risk.

Eventually, the Akuma wound up in a corner and before she could get desperate, Ladybug managed to get off a good shot and break the purse in half. The Akuma fluttered out and with a few quick words and a swing of the yoyo, the Akuma was purified once more and fluttering off. Lily’s transformation dropped, just as a cry of ‘Miraculous Ladybug’ put the world to rights once more. The Magical Cure washed over the classroom, healing Lila’s internal injuries and righting whatever destruction their fight had caused. Turning, Ladybug appraised the class briefly before dropping her transformation once more. Their jaws only dropped further, like they couldn’t quite believe it until they saw it a second time.

“Girl, you’re… you’re…” Alya was the first to break the silence, gaping like a fish out of water, but Marinette held up a hand and stopped her.

“Don’t. The past couple of weeks have made it clear who are my real friends, and suffice it is to say that none of you make the cut. What you learned here today doesn’t leave this room. If it does, Ladybug will disappear and you’ll have to deal with Hawkmoth yourselves. Am I clear?” She asked harshly. The class nodded mutely and watched as the girl stalked up the steps to grab her stuff. She suddenly wasn’t feeling much like dealing with school today. No one said a word as she stalked out of the classroom without a backward glance.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think!


	3. Bonus Chapter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Adrien and Marinette have a much-needed talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Y'all are so lucky I love you. I lowkey almost left it at the last chapter but decided to give you the HAPPY ending you deserve! So, final chapter. Hope you enjoyed!

Adrien Agreste twisted his hands together nervously as he stood outside the Dupain-Cheng bakery. Marinette’s parting words still resonated deep within him and they made him hesitate at what he was about to do, but she deserved to know the truth. If she decided that she was still mad at him, he would understand and accept that because he had been a lousy friend and partner. But he had to  _ try _ . If nothing else, she deserved to know that he was Chat Noir. Taking a deep breath, he pushed inside the bakery. A bell jingled above the door as he stepped inside. From the kitchen, a voice called out that they would be with him in just a moment. The bakery was empty at this hour. It was three, about two hours before the dinner rush would pick up. Adrien moved further into the building, coming to a halt before the counter, and looked around. He had been in the bakery before but had never really taken the time to look around properly before. The floors were tile and display cases dotted the open space filled with colorful treats and pastries. There was a few tables and chairs by one of the big picture windows at the front of the shop for guests who wanted to dine in.

“You gonna be okay, kid?” Plagg poked his head out of his charge’s shirt with a concerned look. It was unusual for the Kwami to show any sort of empathy but Adrien was grateful for the rare sign that the Kwami cared.

“I just hope she can learn to forgive me over time, you know?” He told the Kwami softly, a slight frown marring his face. If it were him, he wasn’t even sure he would forgive himself and he had to be prepared for the very likely possibility that Marinette  _ wouldn’t _ forgive him. Before the Kwami could say anything else, the girl in question stepped out of the kitchen with a tray of pastries in her hands. She must have been shocked to see him because she stumbled suddenly and pitched forward. It was instinct for Adrien to leap forward to catch his Lady and the tray of pastries, not noticing her warning until it was too late and his hand closed around the scalding hot pan. Adrien couldn’t help but yelp, the tray clattering noisily to the ground between them as he jerked back. The scent of burned flesh filled the air, almost masking the scent of fresh-baked cookies.

“Marinette? Honey, what happened!?” Tom and Sabine burst from the kitchen and looked between the two students. Adrien, clutching his wrist in one hand and blowing at his burned hand and Marinette, standing over the tray of destroyed cookies and looking lost and emotional.

“I-I… it was an accident. I tripped and Adrien was trying to help and he grabbed the pan and-and-” she trailed off with a hiccup as tears filled her eyes. 

“It’s not your fault, Marinette,” Adrien gritted out, but that only seemed to make the teenaged girl cry harder. Tom and Sabine shared a look and then smiled reassuringly at their daughter.

“Marinette, you’ve had a long day. Why don’t you take Adrien upstairs and help him with his hand while we clean up here,” Sabine said gently.

“B-but my shift,” Marinette whimpered. Tom pulled her into a hug and rubbed at her back.

“Your mother and I can handle it, Marinette. You take care of this handsome young man before his hand falls off,” Tom said with a wink.

“What!?” Adrien, who had never been badly burned in his life, squawked in horror. Marinette and her parents chuckled. The pigtailed girl’s tears drying slightly.

“He’s kidding. Come on, I have a first aid kit upstairs,” Marinette said, and if her cheeks seemed a bit redder than usual, Adrien chose not to say anything. Instead, he followed her up the stairs and into the apartment above the bakery. Marinette took him up to her bedroom and situated him on her chaise before going to her wardrobe and digging out a first aid kit. Pulling her desk chair closer, Marinette opened the kit and began rummaging around. Adrien was mildly surprised by how well-equipped her first aid kit was until he remembered that she was Ladybug and it made sense that her kit was as well-stocked as his own. Marinette was silent for a few minutes as she worked over his hand, disinfecting it and applying a cooling cream to the burn that seemed to immediately sap away the pain, leaving him to sigh in relief. It was as she was beginning to expertly wrap his hand that she finally spoke.

“What are you doing here, Adrien?” She asked quietly. Studying her face as she bent over his injured hand, Adrien saw frustrated tears still pricking her eyes from their bakery mishap, and perhaps from how overwhelmed, she must have been after the day she’d just had.

“Obviously saving you from burning your pretty face on a hot pan,” he said, some of his Chat Noir charm peeking out. His smile faded as she looked up to give him a frown. She was finished with his hand now and quickly tossed the roll of bandages back into the kit before sitting up and glaring at him.

“I’m serious, Adrien. What are you doing here? You didn’t seem so keen to help me before, so why now? Is it because I’m Ladybug? Because I know about your crush on Ladybug and I gotta say, I’m not really impressed with your loyalty right now,” she said harshly. Adrien flinched and dropped his gaze to the ground.

“I deserved that,” he allowed.

“You did. But you aren’t answering my question,” she said, crossing her arms and frowning at him.

“I wanted to talk to you,” Adrien said, flinching again as Marinette rose suddenly. She grabbed the first aid kit and crossed the room to put it away.

“About what?” She called over her shoulder. It hurt that she wouldn’t even look at him, but he knew he would have to regain her trust and he hoped that this would end up being a good start.

“About today. About you being… Ladybug,” he said after a moment. 

“Why? Are you disappointed?” Marinette asked, turning to face him and planting one hand on her hip. Adrien’s eyes widened.

“Wh-what!? No! Why would I be disappointed?” He demanded. Marinette hesitated for a  moment, looking uncertain of herself before she steeled her resolve and lifted her chin.

“I don’t know, Adrien. There’s a lot I don’t know about you,” she said coldly. Adrien swallowed, his resolve wavering. What if he told her and she hated him even more? Could he risk their partnership? Could he risk the only friendship they currently had left? Before he could decide, Plagg stole the choice for him.

“Now wait just a minute, Spots,” the Kwami snapped, shooting out of Adrien’s overshirt. Adrien tried to grab him, but Plagg evaded him easily and crossed his arms to glare at the startled girl. “I get that you’re hurt and angry, but don’t take it out on the kid. I admit, his methods need a little work and he needs to grow a backbone at some point, but you don’t get to pretend to know what he deals with every day. It isn’t his fault he’s like this, it’s his father’s and you should be ashamed for lumping him with those other fools. You claim to love my kid, but you’re almost as bad as that Lila girl. You don’t care about him, not really,” the Kwami sneered. Across the room, Marinette couldn’t even speak for how shocked she was, but that didn’t stop Tikki.

“Plagg! Don’t talk to Marinette that way. She’s hurting,” the red Kwami growled, blue eyes narrowing as she glared at her other half. Plagg glared right back with his acidic green eyes.

“So is my Kitten and  _ she’s _ making it worse!” Plagg accused, stabbing one paw in Marinette’s direction. 

“This is why we’re supposed to let them figure it out, Plagg! You can’t keep butting in like this,” Tikki retorted angrily. Plagg opened his mouth but Marinette beat him to it this time.

“Adrien, you’re… you’re Chat Noir?” She breathed, looking between the boy and Kwami in shock. Adrien rubbed the back of his neck with his good hand awkwardly and nodded.

“Surprise, my Lady?” He offered with a sheepish grin. Marinette was silent for a moment before crossing the room and dropping onto the chaise beside him.

“I’ll be honest, I didn’t see that coming,” she admitted, folding her hands in her lap and frowning down at them.

“Neither did I… but I should have,” Adrien sighed, then he let out a rueful laugh. “I even called you out everyday Ladybug. Man, I am blind.”

Marinette giggled softly and peeked up at him through her bangs. “I was pretty blind, too,” she admitted with a shrug.

“Do you still hate me?” Adrien asked after a moment of hesitance. Marinette seemed to think about the answer for a moment before she shook her head.

“I never hated you, Adrien. I was mad, and I was hurt, but I could never hate you. Especially knowing you’re my Kitty,” she added the last part softly, a shy smile curving her lips as she met his emerald gaze. Adrien’s heart quickened in his chest as he stared back at her. 

“ _ Your _ Kitty? I like the sound of that,” he said gently, scooting closer until their thighs were pressed together. After a moment, Marinette leaned into him and rested her head on his shoulder.

“What did your Kwami mean, about your father and your life? Is it really that bad?” Marinette asked quietly. Adrien stiffened, but he could never lie to her and after a moment he nodded.

“My father can be really controlling and it’s hard sometimes. Talking back just isn’t an option with him and I guess that’s why I didn’t want you to go up against Lila. But I see now that I was wrong, Marinette. I was wrong and I’m  _ sorry _ that I let it get that bad,” he apologized. Marinette turned her head and propped her chin up on his shoulder. There were tears in her eyes but a smile on her lips.

“It’s okay, Kitty. I forgive you,” she said.

“It’s not okay, but I want to make it okay. I’ll help you, my Lady. I’ll help you expose her lies and-” he broke off as Marinette lifted a finger and pressed them to his lips.

“That’s not necessary, Adrien. I’m going to a new school at the end of the semester. Even if we exposed Lila, I don’t think I could ever grow to trust our classmates again,” she admitted with a shrug.

“You’re leaving?” Adrien pulled back to look at her, eyes wide with disbelief, and she had to chuckle at that.

“I’m just going to a school across town, kitty. I’m not leaving Paris,” she said.

“But I’ll barely get to see you,” he said, pouting.

“We’ll see each other on patrol,” she pointed out. “And you’re always welcome over here. We’ll make it work.”

“Promise?” Adrien asked.

“I promise. Plagg’s right, Adrien. I  _ don’t _ know what your home life is like. But I want to be here for you, in any way I can,” she whispered, leaning in and pressing a kiss to his cheek. Adrien’s face burned but his smile was soft and loving as he blinked back at the girl who had managed to steal his heart not once, but twice. Wrapping his arm gingerly around her, the two settled into the chaise, content to just bask in one another’s presence for the rest of the afternoon. As they drifted off to sleep, a soft, rumbling purr rose from the dozing boy and Marinette instinctively curled closer to the warm vibrations, a happy murmur leaving her. From their hidden nook, Tikki and Plagg shared a satisfied look.

“Works every time,” Plagg said with a grin. Tikki rolled her eyes and snuggled into him.

“Only because of my good luck, silly cat,” she returned, sighing contentedly. Plagg wrapped an arm around her, a fond smile curving his lips.

“You’re the best good luck charm I know, Sugarcube,” he said, his own purr rumbling in his throat as the pair succumbed to sleep as well, content to bask in the glow of togetherness that filled the small, very pink attic bedroom of Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lemme know what you think!


	4. Bonus Chapter Pt 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Class Reacts

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Posting this purely due to popular demand which means it will be short. The class isn't the focal point of the story and therefore I will not expend a lot of energy on them but hopefully, this satisfies you? Takes place immediately following Marinette's departure, so this is BEFORE Adrien goes over to her house.
> 
> Seriously, y'all are lucky I love you =_= lol

The students of Madame Bustier’s Class watched as the pigtailed girl left the room. She didn’t storm out in a huff, didn’t yell or scream or even slam the door. She left with a sort of eerie calm that was somehow far more impactful than if she had thrown a fit. The door clicked silently shut behind her, but still, no one said anything as they were each locked in their own thoughts. At least one thing was collectively on most of the students’ minds, and that was that they had screwed up. Big time. In her corner of the room, Lily Petrova looked around blankly, not entirely sure what was happening but somehow sensing that asking would get her no answers. At least none that would be helpful right now. Madame Bustier, seeing the distraught student, broke out of her trance first and moved to assist the student back to her own classroom. She didn’t even bother telling the students to remain in their seats until she returned. She had been the teacher of this homeroom class for a year and a half now. They would only end up doing the exact opposite of what she said anyway.

Once again, the door clicked shut silently, this time behind the teacher and Lily. This time, the sound seemed to have the opposite effect though and in a nanosecond, the classroom went from deathly silent to a dozen or so students scrambling to speak over one another. None of them could quite believe that quiet, unassuming Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the same girl who managed to trip at least three times a day, the same girl who couldn’t string more than a few words together around her crush, was Ladybug. At the same time, it made a weird sort of sense. Now that they knew, the class was able to recognize just how much Ladybug and Marinette looked alike. How much they acted alike. Marinette might be shyer and clumsier, but she hadn’t been called their everyday Ladybug for nothing.

“I can’t believe this,” Alya said quietly from her seat beside Nino. “All this time, she was Ladybug… all this time and she didn’t tell me? I’m her best friend!” Alya shook her head in disbelief while, in his own seat, Adrien stiffened.

“I know, dudette. I can’t believe it either,” Nino breathed.

“Yeah, this is the same girl who has always hated gym class,” Kim piped up.

“The same girl who ran into a cement wall,” Alix agreed.

“My calculations never suggested that Marinette might be Ladybug,” Max said, adjusting his glasses.

“But they do look exactly alike,” Rose pointed out softly.

“And there was that thing with the history book. Only our class uses them,” Nathaniel added nervously, while Juleka nodded in agreement.

“I just can’t believe  _ Maritrash _ is my idol!” Chloe wailed, and under other circumstances, the class might have had a good laugh out of that.

“Well, I can,” Lila sneered, picking herself up and crossing her arms as she glared at the class. She needed to salvage this. She needed to do  _ something _ to get back in control here. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng is just as vindictive as Ladybug! You guys see how she treats me,” she snarled. In the front row, something in Adrien snaps and he spins to glare at the brunette.

That’s  _ enough _ , Lila,” he snarled, causing the entire class to fall silent and stare at him with wide eyes. Rising, Adrien turned to address the class as a whole, though his glare remained locked on Lila’s. “I’m tired of the lies and I’m tired of you putting Marinette down. Enough is enough!”

“You’re only taking her side because of your stupid crush,” Lila shot back, but Adrien refused to back down.

“Yeah, I like Ladybug. So sue me. But I’m not taking her side because of that, I’m taking her side because Marinette is the innocent here,” he said sharply, green gaze shifting to focus on their other classmates. “For weeks, Lila has been lying to all of you and when Marinette tried to tell you the truth, you refused to listen.”

“Marinette had no proof, Adrien. She couldn’t even offer up sources. A good journalist always-” Alya began, but again the blond interrupted.

“Always cites their sources? And where are  _ your _ sources, Alya? Where are Lila’s!? You claim to be this investigative journalist, but you never once stopped to fact check a girl  _ you don’t even know,” _ Adrien pointed out. Before him, Alya looked ashen and uncertain, but he wasn’t done. “You know Marinette, though. We all do. And above all else, Marinette hates liars. She would never have lied about this.”

“He has a point…” Nino said quietly, meeting his girlfriend’s gaze. “That isn’t like Marinette.”

“You’re right, Nino. It isn’t. You all claim to be her friends, but you turned your backs on her when she needed you most. You should all be ashamed of yourselves,” Adrien sneered.

“And what about you?” Lila snapped suddenly, grasping desperately for some sort of control. “I seem to remember that Marinette lumped you in with the rest of us so don-”

“And she was right to do so!” Adrien snapped, turning on her with fists clenched. “I knew you were lying and I chose to say nothing. Marinette has just as much a right to hate me as she does each and every one of you,” Adrien said, looking away for a moment before once again meeting the brunettes gaze. “But unlike you, I intend to try to fix my mistakes and make up for not helping her before. At least  _ I _ haven’t spent the last few weeks bullying her. I might eventually get back in her good graces but you guys? I honestly don’t think you can come back from this,” he said coldly. Picking up his own bag, he cast one last glare at the class before he, too, departed the classroom. He wasn’t nearly as gracious about it, slamming the door behind him loudly enough that the whole frame seemed to shake. 

Alya sighed quietly and shook her head. “We really messed up,” she said quietly.

“Do you think she’ll forgive us?” Nino asked.

“No. No, I don’t think anything we can say will make her forgive her, and I have a feeling we just got onto Adrien’s shit list as well,” Alya said quietly.

“Why do you care? Who needs them-” 

“Shut up, Lila!” Alya snapped before she could finish. Lila blinked indignantly, but looking at her classmates all glaring back at her, she knew she had lost this battle. Marinette might not have meant to do it, but in the end, she had effectively turned the class against her and Lila knew when to bow out gracefully. Curling her lip, she glared right back at the class.

“Whatever, I don’t need you. I don’t need any of you!” She snapped, spinning around and leaving the classroom in a huff. The door slammed behind her once more, but the students paid it no mind. They were just glad she was gone. Sharing a look, the students settled back in their seats to await Madame Bustier’s return. In the fallout of the day’s events, it would take a while for them to properly rebuild. But hopefully, one day, they would manage.

**Author's Note:**

> Lemme know what you think!


End file.
